


Coming in on a Wing and a Prayer

by kansouame



Category: Saiyuki
Genre: AU, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2010-09-11
Updated: 2010-09-11
Packaged: 2017-10-11 16:08:29
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 14,880
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/114192
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/kansouame/pseuds/kansouame
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Saiyuki AU Written for <a href="http://community.livejournal.com/7thnight_smut/profile"><img/></a><a href="http://community.livejournal.com/7thnight_smut/"><strong>7thnight_smut</strong></a> gift exchange.  An American pilot and his adventure/romance in London during WWII</p>
            </blockquote>





	Coming in on a Wing and a Prayer

**Author's Note:**

  * For [samsarapine](https://archiveofourown.org/users/samsarapine/gifts).



> Written for [](http://community.livejournal.com/7thnight_smut/profile)[**7thnight_smut**](http://community.livejournal.com/7thnight_smut/) gift exchange.

  
Title: Coming in on a Wing and a Prayer  
Author: [](http://kansouame.livejournal.com/profile)[**kansouame**](http://kansouame.livejournal.com/)  
Rating: NC-17  
Pairing(s): Gojyo/Hakkai  
Disclaimer: All of Saiyuki and all associated characters were created by Minekura Kazuya. I make no money from this use.  
Summary: An American pilot and his adventure/romance in London during WWII  
Author's notes: Written for [](http://community.livejournal.com/7thnight_smut/profile)[**7thnight_smut**](http://community.livejournal.com/7thnight_smut/) gift exchange.

Joe jumped away from the curb as the large double-decker bus rumbled past, splashing muddy water up onto the sidewalk in front of him. He gazed up into the cloudy London sky until the woman on his arm poked a sharp elbow into his side. Turning to look at her, he smiled broadly. Life was good. He had a two-day pass, a beautiful blonde on his arm, and was looking forward to a weekend of drinking and fucking before having to report back to the base.

"Hey flyboy, I thought you were gonna buy me a drink?" the red lips said. She winked at him as she pulled him closer to a pub on the corner, rubbing herself against his arm, reminding him of what he would have his hands on later.

"Sure thing, dollface. Let's go."

He reached inside his leather pilot's jacket for a pack of smokes, shook one out and brought it to his lips. He was putting the pack away and reaching for his lighter when he felt a bump from behind; only his quick reflexes kept him from stumbling into his date.

"Hey!" he yelled, spinning around to confront the offender. His long and lanky frame was a blur of graceful motion coming out of his signature laid-back slouch.

Anger was replaced by surprise on his handsome face as Joe scanned the busy street. There was no one there and only a couple of street urchins running across the road. Joe slapped the pocket of his jacket and with a growl, he was running after the kids. _Fuckers had taken his wallet!_

"Sorry Babe!" he managed to call out as he took off at a full sprint after the boys.

It was only by luck that he saw the dark-haired boy hand off to the taller one because they suddenly split and headed separate ways. Joe continued to speed after the boy he hoped had his wallet. Stretching his long legs, he was gaining ground as they both twisted their way around the crowded London road. As the youth tried to dodge left into an alley, he slipped on the wet sidewalk and went down hard. It gave Joe just the time he needed to catch up and grab the lad by the shirt.

"Gotcha!"

"Lemme go!" the young man snarled and then cried out in pain as Joe grabbed his right wrist and yanked it high over his head. The wallet fell from limp fingers onto the ground, where Joe scooped it up. After a quick glance through it, he placed it back into his jacket pocket.

"Ey, leggo a me!" The kid pulled once more but it was obvious from the pain on his face, that he had been hurt in the fall. A look of concern crossed Joe's face as he lowered the captured arm but didn't let go.

"Hey kid, you ok?" Joe peered down and examined the lad. He looked to be about 15 or 16 years old. He was on the thin side but muscular. He had dirty, unkempt light brown hair that was held back out of his eyes by a dirty neckerchief. However, his most startling feature was his light brown, almost golden eyes that were currently tearing up, probably from pain. When the young man didn't answer him, Joe pulled the arm forward to examine it for fractures. He could only find what looked like a badly scraped-up elbow, which was bleeding sluggishly. Taking out his handkerchief, he pressed it gently to the wound to stop the bleeding.

"Please Sir, leggo of me arm. I ain't done nothing wrong." Those golden eyes looked up at him beseechingly.

Joe smiled broadly, running his other hand through his mussed red hair. "Not likely kid. That look won't work on me. That is, unless you are a pretty girl." He leered down into the youth's face.

The youth gasped and tried to pull away. "Ew pervert. 'awk-Eye will kill you if you touch me."

"Hawk-Eye huh? Sounds Indian, like Geronimo." Joe grinned at the confused youth as he finished tying up the makeshift bandage.

"Eh? He's called Hawk-Eye cause he's the always got his eye on us." The youth's words drawled out in an East London accent.

"I guess we should go find him, then. I bet he doesn't know what you've been up to today." Joe paused to pull a cigarette out of his pack and light it, grabbing the boy by the collar when he tried to bolt; the escape attempt only made the American snicker softly. "So, you got a name or do I just call you 'boy'?"

With slumping shoulders, the youth replied, "Stan, but my friends call me Monkey"

Joe stuck out his hand and Stan took it hesitantly. "Joe, Joe Shaw from Illinois. So where are your folks, Monkey?"

"Dead," Stan said with a shrug.

Joe watched as the young face transformed in front of him to one of maturity and loss. Before he had time to change his judgment of the young man, the look disappeared. Standing quietly, mulling over what to do with the youth, Joe looked around. He finally reached into his pants pocket and handed Stan a pack of gum, enjoying the wide-eyed look of joy as the teenager ripped open the pack and stuffed a stick of gum into his mouth.

"Why don't we get you home so you can share that with your friends? I want to have a talk with this Hawk-Eye, or whoever is looking after you."

Stan eyed the tall man for a moment and then nodded to himself, pocketing the pack of gum in his dusty, torn trousers. "Sure Mister Shaw, follow me. It ain't far."

"It's Joe, just call me Joe." He ruffled the mussed brown locks.

Stan's face lit up in a bright smile that startled Joe. He continued to chew the gum noisily and led the way out of the alley, not even waiting to see if Joe followed him.

Kai peddled his bike wearily through the crowded road. A couple of bags of recently acquired groceries swung gently from the handlebars as he turned off of Bethnal Green Road onto Port Road. He raised his eyes and searched the skies but it was just a normal cloudy day. Although the Blitz had been over for a couple of years, the War was still on and there were new terrors that came from the sky. He strained his ears but the droning engine of the V1 flying bomb was nowhere to be heard. He shook his head to concentrate on the here and now.

The crowds got thinner as he rode closer to the river. The devastation left from the bombings stretched on either side of the road with an odd building or two still standing. Some blocks were completely gone. He pedaled harder when he saw the abandoned warehouse that he called home in his sight. Kai sighed and dismounted. After stretching his back and rubbing his sore arse, he began to walk the bike toward one of the boarded doorways. Looking around to make sure he wasn't seen, Kai pulled a loose board aside and pushed the door open. He dragged his bike into the dark building before re-securing the door.

He had spent two hours in a queue and used up most of the coupons in his ration books to bring home barely enough to keep his little band of orphans going for another week. Leaving the bike near the door, Kai took the bags and headed towards the kitchen area, where he placed them on a large wooden table. Most of the furnishings in the kitchen had been acquired from the rubble of abandoned and bombed-out homes, like his own.

His mind flashed back a couple years to the beginning of the war. He remembered the night so clearly. He had come home late. It had been a long day loading barrels for Peter Clarey's father. He had given his Mum the money he made, which earned him a hug from both his mom and twin sister. Kai had left the University to go to work and was planning on enlisting with a couple of his friends in a month's time. Karen had begged for him to come see the planting she had begun in their small back garden. He had pushed her away, laughing, and then raced her toward the door. It was the last thing he remembered - Karen's sweet laugh. His next memory was of waking in a room of white, his head throbbing, especially behind his right eye. The doctors told him his family was gone as was his eye. He had no family, nowhere to go and not even the military wanted him since he couldn't see properly with the loss of his eye. Everything that was his life was gone in an instant. He should have died with them. He had no right to still be alive.

Kai shook the memories from his head, shoving the guilt down deep. Recently, he had found a purpose to his life, caring for the small band of orphans who had somehow gravitated to him. He had no idea what he would do when the war was over but until then, he would do his best to give them a home and keep them safe. Pulling a small, wrapped packet of bacon from the bag, along with a pound of sugar, Kai placed both on the table. He then smiled as he pulled forth two carefully wrapped eggs. They were so hard to come by and he had been lucky the blonde in front of him in line had been willing to give up her ration in exchange for 10 of his clothing points. He was going to treat the kids to some pancakes tonight. It would be a small celebration for Gnat's birthday. As he put away the rest of the food, he frowned at the thought of the small, dark-haired boy. Gnat had been complaining of a sore throat this morning. Kai had asked Stan to keep an eye on Gnat but that didn't mean they were not out roaming and having fun. He knew Stan wasn't a kid anymore but he really should have a talk with him about his behavior.

Startled out of his thoughts by noises coming from the main area of the warehouse, Kai wiped his hands on his trousers and headed through the door. Coming to a sudden halt, Kai ran up against a broad back in a brown leather jacket. He slowly raised his eyes as the man turned quickly, steadying him with a large, warm hand on his waist. Kai couldn't take his eyes from the sexiest smile he had ever seen in his life.

Stan had introduced Joe to several other boys before pulling him along with him into the dark building. All of the boys were scruffy and full of that strength that seemed present in the faces of all the Londoners Joe had encountered. But unlike most of those others, in addition to that strength, these young faces also seemed to radiate hope. Joe had found the presence of that emotion even more amazing when Stan had told him that every one of these boys had lost his family in the Blitz and that, thanks to their mysterious guardian, they had pulled together to create their own family. Joe had been a bit nervous, for some reason, about telling this 'paragon of virtue' that one of his charges had tried to steal his wallet. He had been about to reach into his jacket pocket for a smoke when, once again, someone ran into him from behind. He turned and placed his hands around a slender waist to steady the person and found himself staring into the most beautiful green eye he had ever seen. A fall of dark, chocolate-colored hair was covering the other eye and Joe drew in a deep breath, forcibly stopping himself from reaching out to push the hair aside and reveal more of the elegant face in front of him. The attraction he felt was not unusual, for Joe liked all beautiful things. He smiled, his mind quickly searching for the right line to hook the beauty into joining him for some fun, when he suddenly realized that the person he had pulled up tightly against him was another man.

"I don't know who you are but you can let go of me now." Kai's voice was low but his tone was one that demanded obedience and, Joe thought, it was actually a little scary.

Pulling his hands away quickly, Joe started to introduce himself but was interrupted by shouting from the end of the large room.

"Kai! Kai! Come quick, Gnat is really sick!" A small blonde boy ran up to the man and grabbed his arm, tugging him towards a door in the back.

With a glance at the stranger, Kai quickly followed the boy through the large room and then the door. Joe, not knowing what else to do, headed the same direction. Once he reached the others, he looked around the long room, which seemed to contain only four bunk beds; each was incased in wire mesh and steel. If Joe's memory served, these were called Morrison shelters. The front of one of the cages of a bottom bunk was off and a small, dark-haired boy lay on top of the bedding. His face was pale and clammy looking. Joe stopped a few feet from the bed, not wanting to be in the way. It was then he noticed at least four other pairs of eyes watching him carefully. He cleared his throat, causing that one green eye to focus back on him.

"Is he ok?" Joe gestured at the sick boy with his chin.

Kai stood, his hands on his hips. "Look, I don't know who you…"

Stan jumped down from the top bunk, swinging gracefully from the wire on the side of the shelter. "Kai, sorry. His name is Joe Shaw. He helped me when me arm got bunged up." Stan held up his arm and pointed at the injury. His eyes flicked to Joe, pleading silently with him not rat him out. Kai suddenly pulled Stan's arm up and Stan squawked at the manhandling of his injury.

"Go wash this up properly and have Geoffrey bandage it for you." Kai said, as he inspected the wound and determined it to be nothing more than a bad scrape.

"You mean Weasel?" Stan said with a grin.

Kai rolled his eyes, "Yes, then _'Weasel'_ can patch you up." He couldn't stop the smile on his face as he watched Stan scamper away.

Joe couldn't keep silent any longer. "So what's with the strange nicknames?" He pointed at Kai. "Hawk-Eye… right?"

"Ahaha… well… It's something the boys thought up as some sort of initiation to become part of the group." Kai said, reaching up and rubbing the back of his neck. "Our strange little band… our family." The last was said in almost a whisper and a flash of sadness crossed his face.

Joe felt an urge to reach out to this man, to push the hair from his face, and an even stranger impulse to hold and comfort him. But when he took a step closer, the look was gone, replaced by a smile that didn't seem to ring true and that bothered Joe even more. He wanted to see a real smile.

"I can see where Monkey got his name but why do they call you Hawk-Eye?" Joe asked, hoping to lighten the mood. But before the slender man could answer him, there was a groan from the bedside.

"He has a fever." Kai said as he once again placed his hand on the kid's forehead. "He was complaining of a sore throat this morning."

The young boy opened his eyes. "Kai." he croaked. "Don't feel good."

Joe leaned over Kai's shoulder. "Hey kid, open your mouth and stick out your tongue."

The boy looked startled as he looked between Kai and the stranger but at Kai's nod of reassurance, he did as Joe asked.

"See those white spots in the back of his throat?" Joe pointed them out, as he spoke. "I bet he has strep throat. You better keep the other boys away from him and get him to a doctor."

Kai looked up astonished. "How do you know this?"

Joe reached over, his chin almost resting on the other man's shoulder. His hand closed over the boy's throat, rubbing gently under his chin. "Yep, feel this…" He took Kai's hand in his own and placed it over the swollen glands under the boy's jaw. He felt Kai tremble just before he snatched his hand back and wondered if he was squeamish.

Enjoying his proximity to Kai, Joe inhaled deeply, taking pleasure in the moment before he softly whispered. "My older brother had it when I was little." He grinned when Kai leaned back for a heartbeat, their bodies touching chest to back. In that moment, Joe felt that this was how things should be – the way things had always been.

Quickly, Kai rose to his feet. He clutched the front of his shirt, trying to still his pounding heart. He felt an attraction to the American but the years of fear and hiding were much too ingrained for him to allow himself to think that acting on his desires would lead to anything except pain and sorrow. Shoving his emotions down deep, his smile slid into place just as Stan came back with his elbow neatly bandaged.

"Well, on that note, thank you for seeing Stan home Captain Shaw… was it? I don't want to keep you from your duties or whatever any longer." He backed toward the door hoping that the American would take the hint and leave.

Joe strode toward Kai. "What are you talking about? This kid needs medication! He needs to see a doctor before it gets worse."

Stan suddenly appeared between the two men, his head moving back and forth trying to figure out what was going on. "Whaddya mean? How sick is he?" Turning to face Kai, Stan pinned him with a stare. "He's my best friend, Kai. You gotta do something!"

"Hey kid, I could help if you…" Joe started to say but was cut off quickly.

"No! I mean, we are fine. Thank you for your concern. We don't need your help or your money."

"But I…"

Kai cut Joe off once again when he turned to Stan. "Do you think you can find a spiv? Someone who can help us get something for Gnat?"

"Er… I can find River Rat prolly… But Kai? We don't got any money?" Stan's eyes moved to Joe, who was suddenly wishing for a cigarette.

"I'm going to The Ring." Kai walked out of the room, leaving the others with their own thoughts.

Joe pulled a cigarette from his jacket and placed it between his lips. He glanced at the sick boy and then stepped into the other room before lighting up. Stan was next to him in an instant.

"What's a spiv?" Joe asked.

"Well, he's someone who can get things for you. Things that are hard to find or things that people need but there's a price. A high price." Stan shoved his hands in his pockets.

Blowing a thin stream of smoke into the air, Joe just nodded his understanding. "So what's The Ring?"

He peered down at the young man, watching him kick at a non-existent stone in front of him.

"It's a fight ring. Men go to fight for money. Others go to bet."

"Heh, so is this fighting thing something that Kai could win?" Joe said softly.

Stan snorted. "Oh yeah! "Hawk-Eye is well known in The Ring. He was one of the best fighters there ever was. Well, until he lost a fight. It was Sebastian. He fights dirty and Kai got hurt pretty bad. He hasn't fought since." Letting out a small sigh, Stan muttered, "You shoulda seen him fight. He was a thing of beauty."

Joe nodded. He already thought the man was a thing of beauty and he was still confused about the attraction but for some reason, he felt he was where he needed to be and the one thing Joe had relied on all of his life was his instinct. "Why does he wears his hair so long, in front of his eyes?"

"It's his glass eye. He hates it. He mostly hides it and doesn't like to talk about it or draw attention to it, so don't say nothing."

Joe nodded once again. "So, Monkey, mind if I tag along?"

*********

Stan stuck another stick of gum in his mouth as he watched Joe standing in the red K6 kiosk on the corner. The American had said he had to make an important phone call as they waited for Kai to reappear. He squinted while he wondered what the call was about, his mouth chewing frantically at the gum. Kai suddenly appeared at his shoulder. He had changed into some ripped trousers and an old, long-sleeved shirt with a white tank underneath.

"Did you get a hold of your friend?" Kai asked Stan, looking over at Joe while he spoke, watching him through his lashes and admiring his build. When he saw that smile flash again, he could feel his heart speed up and his blood begin to heat. Sighing, he looked away, unfortunately into Stan's knowing gaze.

"You like him, don't you?" Stan said quietly, leaning against the building.

Kai nodded. "But that doesn't mean anything will come of it. I learned that long ago." He elegantly folded his legs and sat down on the sidewalk with his back against the building. He glanced once again at Joe before Stan sat down next to him, blocking the view. Stan gave him a nudge with his shoulder and an understanding smile. What people didn't know was that Stan was a couple years older than he looked and a lot smarter than he seemed. Kai had met the young man on the streets, selling his body. Stan had offered himself up and Kai had accepted, not, at first, realizing how young Stan had been at the time. He had soon figured it out, and nothing had happened. Though there was no sexual attraction between them, they had quickly hit it off as friends. They had talked and found a companionship and connection that each had been missing. Kai had confided in Stan that he was tired of the meeting men in the dark just to satisfy his needs and that the few relationships he had tried had all failed miserably. So he'd given up on finding a special someone and devoted his life to his rag-tag family. It kept him going every day and gave him a reason to get up in the morning.

Stan patted him on the shoulder. "Don't give up yet, Kai." They sat quietly for a moment, Stan throwing pebbles in the street while Kai kept trying to glance at the Yank. "You sure you can go in The Ring again, Kai? You haven't done it since… well, in over a year."

"I don't have a choice. If Nathanial really has strep throat then he needs medication and even if we can find River Rat, I don't have the money to pay for it. I have to fight and I just found out there is a fight I can get in on tonight." Kai wrapped his arms around his knees and placed his head down in worry.

"Gnat's a strong kid, he'll be ok. You'll see." Stan murmured.

"Why the long faces?" Both Stan and Kai looked up into Joe's smug smile.

"Perverted Yank! You took long enough. Let's go." Stan stood and bounced on the balls of his feet.

Joe held out his hand for Kai, who initially looked confused, and, as understanding dawned, glared at him before standing and brushing off the dirt from his trousers. Joe quickly put his hand in his pocket, looking a bit abashed. Hearing Stan chuckling at his plight, he mumbled under his breath "Stupid Monkey."

"What did you say?" Stan's eyes narrowed, ready for a fight.

"Come on." Kai grabbed the young man by the wrist and dragged him away from the Aldgate EastTube entrance.

"So, where are we going?" Joe asked as he snapped shut his lighter and took a long drag from his cigarette.

"Not far," Kai answered as he strode forcefully down the sidewalk, a worried look on his usually impassive face.

Looking at Stan for hopefully a better answer, Joe arched his eyebrow in question when the young man glanced his way.

Pointing his thumb back at the tube entrance, Stan remarked, "That's the new station. It went up when they enlarged the tracks 'bout six years ago. But that left lots of room, you see… for places to hide when the bombs are fallin' and well… other things… like The Ring."

Joe was stopped in mid-step as Stan tugged on his arm. He was pulled up against the side of a brick building while they both watched Kai walk over to two men playing cards on the sidewalk up against the next building. After a few words were exchanged, Kai waved them over. The men ignored both Stan and Joe but stood closer to the street and began to have a loud argument. Joe watched with astonishment when Kai quickly took advantage of the distraction to dismantle a couple of grey panels to reveal a small door. Kai crawled through. Stan pushed Joe in after him, then followed, shutting the door behind them. Leaving the panels to be put back up by the still loudly arguing men, Joe noticed the nice tile work on one wall and the ceiling. He was amazed that the area was lit by small electric lamps that looked fairly new.

Reaching another door, Kai pulled it open and the group arrived on an old platform. He turned left and continued until they reached the end. They scrambled down a large step that was covered by a substantial amount of loose electrical wiring and then down a ramp that looked like an old door. Kai waited until Joe had traversed the treacherous area and then joined them at the bottom. They stood in front of two sets of tracks.

"I assume you realize that we will be traveling on live tracks for a bit." Kai said softly. "You do know how trains work?"

Joe snorted. "I am not stupid, ya know! You have to be careful of the third rail, right?" Joe was smugly pleased with himself, for a farm-raised boy; his time on the streets of Chicago had made him aware that touching the third rail would get you fried very quickly. He went to step out on the tracks with Stan.

"Don't!" Kai cried out, grabbing the back of Joe's jacket and pulling him away from the tracks.

"What? I told you I would be careful." Joe glared at Kai for a moment and shrugged the hand off of him.

"Why are you even here?" Kai asked softly. "This is no business of yours. You should go back to your base, your friends and your women." His green eye moved back and forth, searching Joe's face for answers… answers to questions that hadn't even been asked.

Joe once again had to stop himself from brushing the dark bangs from Kai's forehead. Instead he threw his arm over Kai's shoulders and leaned in close. He leered and said, playfully, "I like a little adventure and sightseeing. I am still hoping to see more." He purred the last softly and seductively into Kai's ear, then pulled back, enjoying Kai's stunned look and chuckled.

"Hurry up, you two lovebirds!" Stan smirked.

While Kai blushed and Joe flipped him the finger, Stan laughed and pointed down at his feet. "Listen up, Yank. We got two rails that got electricty goin' through 'em, not one. So be careful where your feet go."

Joe followed Kai and Stan carefully into the darkness along the tracks. The air was damp and Joe could swear he heard 'things' – things that were scrabbling in front of them and behind them, causing him to flinch. It was all he could do to stop himself from reaching out and grabbing Kai's jacket like a little kid when he swore he felt something crawl over his foot.

"Uh… guys, are we getting there any time soon?" Joe stomped his foot and heard a crunch and a high-pitched squeak.

A light chuckle came out of the darkness. "I cannot believe a strong, American pilot is afraid of a little walk in the dark."

Joe snorted. "There are a lot of great things I can think of to do in the dark and this is not one of 'em."

He smiled when he heard a whispered "Pervert" from the front.

Suddenly, he bumped into Kai, who then collided with Stan. "Why did we stop?" Joe mumbled as he rubbed his sore nose.

Stan shushed him and took a deep breath. "Here's where it gets interesting. The walls narrow and you have to walk on the tracks. The only problem's the train. If one's comin'... you're dead meat. So I suggest we run. Ready?"

"Want to hold my hand so you won't get lost?" Kai teased quietly.

"Shut the fuck up. I won't get lost... just..." Joe sighed. "I can't believe I am doing this," he whispered to himself.

"Run, now!" Stan called out and with a short curse, Joe was running. The tracks were uneven under his boots. It was all he could do to concentrate on not twisting his ankle or falling. He could swear that the sounds of the other two were getting farther away, so he picked up speed. Soon enough, he had caught up with Kai, who wasn't even breathing hard as he trotted along the tracks.

"How much farther?" Joe wheezed, wishing he'd not had that last cigarette.

"Not much," Kai said as he jogged along lightly. "It's just before the curve on the left side where the tunnel widens again." It was then, Joe heard a low rumble.

"Please tell me that it is not getting lighter ahead of us," Joe pleaded.

At that moment, Stan yelled. "Train! Run!" and the trio began to sprint.

Joe was having a hard time running forward as fast as he could, when his brain kept telling him to turn around and run the other way. The tunnel was getting brighter and brighter as the train closed in on the bend in the tracks. The rumbling on the tracks was loud, as was the pounding of his heart. Just as the train came around the bend at what seemed to be blinding speed, Joe closed his eyes wondering if anyone would find his body or even care to look. Then a hand grabbed his jacket by the front and jerked him to the left.

The inertia of running and being pulled at the same time swept Joe off his feet; he landed with a thud and rolled. He came to rest on top of something warm as the train thundered past. His face was buried in the curve of a neck. The scent was manly and earthy but with a hint of mint or tea. Joe thought that he kind of liked it and took another deep breath, wondering if his heart was pounding due to the run, the fear of death or this wonderful, addictive smell.

"Joe?" Came Kai's soft voice from beneath him. He gave a slight wiggle and then heard a small gasp. Joe realized that he was hard and his erection was currently pressing against Kai's thigh.

"While I think I am flattered, I can't breathe very well. The train is gone, so could you please move?"

Kai's words seem to work like a cattle prod on Joe's brain and he quickly realized his situation and scrambled off. "Sorry," he whispered, and thought about making an excuse but figured that it would just sound as lame as it sounded in his head. Instead he reached into his jacket for a smoke. Lighting up, he could see Kai's face for a second. The man had a thoughtful look but didn't appear angry. Joe hoped he hadn't fucked up. He didn't understand why his body reacted to Kai. He had almost never been this attracted to a man before, but then, he had never met a man as beautiful as Kai. Beautiful, strong and so sad that it made his heart ache and his arms just want to embrace him. Lost in thought, Joe didn't even hear Stan come up behind him to thump him on the head.

"C'mon, ya stupid Yank. Get 'er movin."

Joe blew out a stream of smoke before dropping the butt of his cigarette on the ground and grinding it out with his heel. He looked around, noticing they were up against a small fenced area. To the right was the railway itself with the tunnel running into the distance. He watched as Stan and Kai both leaped the fence, heading toward a large metal door against the curved wall of the tunnel. Catching up to them just as Kai pounded on the door twice, paused, and then three more times, Joe breathed in deeply and tried to ready himself for just about anything.

The door clanged as it was unlocked. Slowly it opened, creaking loudly on its hinges, and a man appeared in the doorway. He was broad in face and form. He topped Joe by a good five inches and looked like he could crush a skull with his bare hands. Joe stared in awe.

Chuckling, Kai leaned over and whispered in Joe's ear. "Didn't your mum ever teach you that if you leave your mouth open like that, you'll draw flies?"

Joe wanted to issue a snappy comeback. But only a small grunt came from him as he shut his mouth and tried to not think about Kai's soft breath on his ear. "Damn it, get a grip," he mumbled to himself.

"Welcome back, Kai. We were expecting you but not your friend." The man gestured towards Joe as his low voice rumbled through the tunnel.

"It's alright Little John. He's ok." Kai's one eye watched Joe carefully as he spoke, letting Joe know how much he was putting on the line for him.

With a grunt, the large man turned and Kai quickly followed him down the spiral stairway that lay beyond the door. There was a breeze that blew down the stairwell, which made Joe look up. But all he could see was darkness. He wondered how far up the stairs went and why they hadn't just come down the stairwell earlier instead of making the heart-pounding journey through the tunnel. Joe hung back and whispered to Stan. "So why do they call him 'Little John'?" The large smile that grew on Stan's face made him suddenly wish he had stayed above ground and found a nice cozy pub. He so needed a drink.

At the bottom of the stairs was another large, metal door. The man known as Little John pounded the same code on it that Kai had on the first one and again the clanging of locks opening were heard before it, too, squealed open. The group entered another, smaller, narrow walkway. Joe couldn't see past Kai or Little John and wondered who had opened the door. They continued through for a short time. Joe could feel the air grow a bit staler and warmer and was glad when it opened out into a long, perpendicular, well-lit shaft. Looking left and right, Joe saw rows and rows of bunk beds. He then realized that they were in a deep-level shelter. He jumped as the door behind them slammed shut and a wild whoop of joy was heard from Stan.

Turning quickly, hands in front, ready to fight, Joe was instead surprised to see Stan trying to climb a slim blonde man in a black, pin-striped suit. The man pushed Stan away but this exuberance was obviously something that occurred frequently, for, after shoving the young man off and brushing at non-existent wrinkles in his suit, the man reached up and pushed off Stan's bandana and affectionately ruffled his golden-brown hair. Kai walked past Joe to the stranger with a large genuine smile on his face. The stranger turned to Kai and reached out and pushed up the fringe of hair that always hung over Kai's right eye, doing the one thing that Joe had wanted to do since he had met Kai, answering his need to see the rest of the face that seemed to have captured his h... his interest. Joe couldn't stop the ball of jealousy that tore through his gut and he took a step forward, only to be stopped by a large hand that suddenly rested on his shoulder. "Why don't we continue on and let them talk?" rumbled Little John's deep voice. Joe's eyes continued to rest on Kai until he actually had to look forward to keep from falling.

"Good to see you, Kai," said the smooth silky voice.

"Chas, it has been awhile, hasn't it?" Kai grinned broadly and didn't even flinch when fingers swept aside his hair, revealing his face in full and the glass eye that it kept hidden.

"You really shouldn't hide," Chas chided. "So, who is the guy? Did you find a lover?"

"Ahahaha, it's not like that." Kai turned and watched Little John escorting Joe away so they could speak with a bit of privacy.

"It's not, huh? Well, it's not my business." Chas pulled a pack of cigarettes from an inside pocket of his suit-jacket, along with a lighter. "Look," he said as he lit the tip with the fancy lighter. "I have someone looking for what you need. I will cut my costs for you as much as I can, but you know how hard it is to get certain medical supplies. I owe you for helping to keep an eye on ... well, someone who obviously needs a bath."

"'ey!!" Stan cried. "Are you saying I smell? You shitty river rat!! I'll have you know that water is hard to come by and…" His argument was cut off by a pair of thin, warm lips.

Kai smiled and turned away from the other two. He called out over his shoulder, "You blokes apparently have a lot to talk about. You know where to find me later." Stan and Chas had been seeing each other for awhile. He was happy for his friend but at the same time, it hurt a little… made the loneliness a little deeper.

Hurrying through the cross-connecting tunnel, Kai entered into a wide room. It had been emptied of everything except a table at both ends. Kai guessed there were about two hundred men gathered in the room, mostly standing or sitting along the side walls. He surrendered his pocket-knife at the first table and registered on the fight roll. He had never seen either of the men at the table before. He supposed that was normal; he hadn't been to The Ring in over a year. It was not a lifestyle that one kept up for long.

Kai tried to peer around the room, looking for Joe's shock of red hair. "Long time no see, pretty boy," a slick, smooth voice whispered in his ear. He started to spin around but was stopped by a pair of strong arms encircling him and pinning his arms to his side. Hot breath against the side of his face caused the hairs on the back of his neck prickle as he held completely still. "Sebastian," he responded in acknowledgement.

"You have no idea how happy I am that you remember me," Sebastian's low voice purred.

"The memories are not happy ones." Kai pulled on the arms that held him tight.

"Oh, you wound me so, pretty one. And here I thought you had come back because you missed me. I know I missed you." Sebastian emphasized his remark by licking up the side of Kai's neck.

"Stop it!" hissed Kai. He tried to kick backward, only to have Sebastian to push against the back of his knees with his own and leave him without any leverage.

"Have you come back to fight me, instead? You remember what happened the last time?" Sebastian chuckled roughly. "I have a better idea. Why don't you give me a night and I will pay you half of tonight's pot after I win. I always win."

Kai started to struggle once more in earnest and was about to say something scathing when he thought of Gnat lying on the bed, pale and sick. He grew still. What did it matter if he sold his body? He knew that he was out of shape for a fight and the odds of him winning in The Ring were small, especially if Sebastian had joined the lists. Didn't Gnat's life matter more than his pride? It was only one night and he had lived through worse. His body sagged and he felt defeated. "One night, but only for the entire pot." The words came out cold and dead, just like he felt.

Sebastian felt him go still and he grinned insanely when he heard the low, whispered words. He almost crowed in triumph. Instead, he grabbed Kai's chin, twisted his head back and kissed him hard, lips crushing Kai's, cutting his lip on teeth.

Little John had escorted Joe into The Ring with little trouble. They were both leaning against the wall listening to several men argue about who would be joining the rosters and the odds on the favorites. Joe had seen Kai enter the area. Immediately drawn to his presence, he turned to head in that direction only to once again be stopped by Little John's large hand on his shoulder. He looked back and glared at the large man, shrugging the hand off.

"What's your problem?" Joe snarled. Little John did not reply. However, he shrugged in Kai's direction and Joe turned back around in time to see a taller, dark-haired man move behind Kai and pin his arms to his sides. Kai did not look happy, nor did he look horribly distressed. However, Joe gasped in outrage when the man forced a kiss on Kai. Joe moved quickly, Little John following behind him.

Even with his natural grace, Joe was bumped off balance in the crowded area when another man stepped back suddenly. Like a domino, he fell against a large blond man who was in the middle of a card game with several others. The blond growled and shoved Joe, who fell against the first man. A large fist was swung in Joe's direction. He avoided it with ease, but the blond did not. Joe moved low and right quickly, managing to extract himself from the growing brawl. Part of his mind watched in wonder as a fight began that would have rivaled the bar fights in those western moving pictures that he and his friends had snuck into when he first arrived in Chicago. As the fight grew, Joe edged toward Kai and the stranger. Neither had seemed to notice the fight and it appeared the man was pushing Kai toward the exit.

Finally reaching the pair, Joe grabbed the man by the shoulders and shoved him hard toward Kai and then pulled back with the same force, causing him to break his hold. Kai fell forward as Joe threw Sebastian toward the growing fight. He looked back to watch Sebastian land in the middle of the brawl. Sebastian roared and started to fight his way through the throng he'd found himself entangled in.

"Go Joe! Run!" Kai yelled as he grabbed Joe's arm. They reached the crossway easily, along with several others who were looking to get away from the battle inside.

"You ok?" Joe asked as he panted, trying to catch his breath.

Kai threw him a glare full of anger and sadness that made Joe's heart stutter for a moment. He watched as Kai turned and strode away from him back through the tunnels, following several other men on their way out. Neither of them spoke as they reached the heavy door and went through. As they climbed the spiral staircase back up, Joe couldn't take the silence any longer. "So... why the silent treatment?"

"I don't want to talk about it, and why are you still following me?" Kai pushed past a short, pudgy man, flew out the landing door and jumped the fence to get back on the tracks. He trotted quickly toward the old platform, not even looking back to see if Joe was following him. Once through the door into the early evening, Kai turned and began to head back to the new Tube station. He wanted to just get home, check on Gnat and hopefully figure out what to do next.

The ride home was uneventful. Kai tried hard to not think about the events of the last couple of hours. He had almost sold himself, and to Sebastian! He tried hard not to think about the look that Joe had given him when Joe had all but rescued him. That look had made promises that Kai had given up on long ago. Things he didn't deserve.

After leaving the Tube station, Kai started the long walk home. When he was a few blocks away from the wharfs and the warehouse they all called home, he felt Joe stride up next to him. "Go away."

"No. Not until you talk to me and tell me what was going on down there. Who was that guy? What happened?" Joe knew he was ranting but the last question just rolled off his tongue before he could stop himself. "Why was he kissing you?"

Without any thought, Kai grabbed Joe by the jacket and threw him against the side of a building. He heard Joe's head solidly 'thunk' against the brick. "Why do you care? All you American GIs are just overpaid, overfed, oversexed and over here!" Kai growled out the common British saying out of spite. His anger getting out of control, he continued. "I like men kissing me and, as a matter of fact, that man was going to pay me to do more than kiss him. Now you know. So for the last time, bugger off and leave me alone!"

Kai turned away, thinking of how he had let his anger take over and that now he would never see the man again - probably a good thing. Then a hand on his arm stopped him. Kai felt himself deflate and, with a swallow, he forced his lips into a protective smile. Turning to apologize for his outburst, Kai was frozen by Joe's intense gaze. He couldn't move.

Joe's head throbbed. He wasn't sure if it was the because of Kai's words or the sudden hard contact with the brick behind him. All he knew was that Kai (no matter how scary) was once again trying to walk away and he wasn't going to let that happen. Grabbing Kai, he turned him around, mesmerized by that lone, sad, green eye. He reached up and finally gave in to the impulse and brushed the lock of hair from Kai's face, trying to tuck it behind an ear. "So beautiful."

The kiss happened. Joe was not sure who leaned in and who accepted. All he knew was that his lips were on Kai's and he tasted wonderful: exotic, fresh and addictive. Lips parted with a soft moan and Joe slipped his tongue in to savor more of that hot mouth. His hand slid around Kai's waist and he pulled him close, tilting his head to deepen the kiss, letting their tongues slide and dance together. Joe felt electric pulses skitter along his skin and settle in his groin. This was not a 'getting to know you' kiss, or even a, 'God, I want to know you better' kiss. This was an 'I want to fuck your body the way my tongue is fucking your mouth' and 'you make me so frigging hot I can't think straight and, God, I'm glad you're as hard as I am' kiss. Another soft groan escaped him as their lips parted and they both panted softly. There was a loud ringing in his ears as his heart pounded in his chest, and then Kai pulled away forcefully.

"Air Raid!" He grabbed Joe's hand and they ran.

The sirens had started blaring full force and Joe had a hard time keeping up with Kai as the autumn evening was turning into night. There were no lights in London at night and the blackout had Joe stumbling on debris left over from buildings that had been devastated from years of Nazi bombing raids on the city. He kept looking up into the night sky to try to see... anything.

Reaching the door of the warehouse, Kai pushed the boards aside and pulled Joe in as the sound of anti-aircraft fire boomed from the direction of the river close by. He ran for the room the boys were using for a bedroom, calling out their names anxiously. Each boy called out greetings and Kai's name over and over from inside their Morrison shelter beds. He quickly counted heads, making sure there were two to a bunk. Only Gnat lay quietly alone, sleeping through the loud siren. Kai thought about crawling in with him but he felt a squeeze to his hand and knew he had to get him and Joe both to safety. He had seen what a doodlebug could do to a building.

"Stay down, boys. I will check on you soon. Just stay put! " Kai yelled as he pulled Joe back into the warehouse and back toward their makeshift kitchen. Taking a right into what use to be an office, Kai pushed Joe into another Morrison shelter bed, grabbed the front screen and crawled in behind him. Both men set about locking the front grating into place and then sat back, adrenaline still racing. Kai's fingers remained gripped around the grating while Joe pushed himself away until his back was against the wall.

Joe blinked in the growing darkness; the sounds of the wailing siren along with the anti-aircraft fire could still be heard, although the noise was now muffled by the building. He shrugged out of his jacket and reached for Kai. The man was staring out into the darkness, his whole body shaking. Pressing against Kai's back, Joe began to slowly pry those elegant fingers from the screen.

"It's okay, Kai, you're safe now. I got you." Joe continued to coax the man back with soft words and sounds until he had him cradled in his arms with his back leaning against the wall. He took his jacket and placed it over both of them. Running his hands through Kai's thick, brown hair, he knew the moment that Kai came back to reality because he stiffened and tried to push away. Having none of that, Joe tightened his hold. As Kai raised his head in question, Joe smiled. "Let me take care of you, Kai. I…" he faltered a moment, not certain how to express what he needed to say. "This is something different, what I feel about you." The question was still in Kai's eye, but he felt Kai's body relax a bit and a smile was starting as well, so Joe had some hope that he wasn't sounding as utterly nonsensical as he felt. "I really like you, okay?" Words said, Joe quickly captured Kai's lips and kissed him gently, lips chastely caressing and tasting. And Kai accepted his kisses, and gave them back in return. It was all too much, too big, too important. Joe growled low in his throat and continued to thread hungry fingers through Kai's hair. He angled his head and felt the desire pool in his groin as the lovely mouth opened for him and his tongue slipped inside to taste and caress. He wanted to kiss him enough to show Kai how important and amazing and special he was, to make him warm and alive and safe (and forever).

Kai gripped Joe's shirt; he just knew that he was going up in flames. He couldn't remember wanting someone so badly that it consumed him and left him feeling drunk. His mind was reeling as strong fingers slid under his shirt and began to run up and down his back gently. Feeling himself being tenderly lowered to the mattress, he surrendered to the moment. No regret, no thought, just allowing the need to touch someone in the darkness. There was a comfort with this man that he had never felt in the few fumbling trysts he had engaged in. His mind barely registered the loss of his shirt but when Joe's hungry, warm mouth sucked softly at his neck he cried out with desire and began to pull at the clothes separating them.

Shifting back, Joe divested both himself and Kai of the last of their clothing. Their bodies met skin on skin and Joe groaned deeply and possessively. He had no idea why this man drove him mad. He had experimented a few times with other men and enjoyed himself but had always preferred the softness of women. Kai seemed to be different. Joe felt drugged, intoxicated with want. Kai was warm and his skin was soft in a sexy way that was in no manner feminine or fragile. The line of muscle beneath flesh tempted Joe to dig his fingers in slightly and shift his lover until they were rocking easily together in slow measure to a kiss. His fingers traced the line of Kai's spine until he reached a wonderfully shaped ass. When Joe pulled Kai close, their slick cocks slid together hard, igniting another shock down Joe's spine.

"Ah… So good," Kai panted, arching and rubbing himself against Joe. He was practically trying to crawl inside the man. Another shiver shook his frame when strong, callused fingers encircled both of them and began to stroke. The gunfire became a distant noise behind the thumping of his heart. Joe's mouth claimed his as he arched over and over again into Joe's hand. Each brush of skin against his own, each teasing caress, only fueled the fire of need and ecstasy and left him desperate for more, even though he already felt consumed by the contact. He tried to tell Joe he was close to coming but only wanton noises came forth, as those touches and their movement went from consuming to obliterating, tearing him apart in a maelstrom of pleasure.

At Kai's cry of completion, Joe felt warm slickness in his hand adding to the friction against his own cock and it toppled him over the edge with a long groan. He continued to stroke softly, milking them both until he felt Kai shiver from overstimulation. Kai's hands gripped Joe's shoulders and he had buried his face into Joe's neck. Wiping his hand on the bed cover, Joe pulled Kai close, rolled onto his back and tucked Kai's head under his chin, fingers running gently over his shoulder. It was only then that he realized that the night was again quiet. "I think the bombing is over," he whispered and then wanted to smack himself for sounding so idiotic.

"Hm," Kai replied softly. He waited for the guilt to come crashing down on him but even after an emotionally frustrating day, he could only contemplate how comfortable and safe he felt. Joe didn't seem ready to bolt and he didn't want this feeling to go away. So he decided to enjoy it and make it last as long as he could. Kai closed his eyes and let a small smile drift across his face when he felt a kiss against his temple.

Feeling Kai shiver, Joe managed to coax him up so they could both crawl under the covers. Joe noticed the scratchy, thin blanket and draped his jacket over them as well for warmth. He vowed silently to find more blankets for the small troupe. "Kai," he breathed out softly, enjoying the sound. "Where did you get a name like that?

"Mmmmnn," Kai said sleepily, still feeling sated and, for once, warm. "My name is Kai Cho. My father was Chinese. He met my mother on a business trip here; she served him his first pint." Kai chuckled at the memory of the story he had heard over and over again, his father's voice in his head.

"What happened to them?" Joe coaxed softly.

Kai paused for a moment and then poured out his heartbreaking story to Joe. Strong hands stroked his arms and back gently, soothing his soul. When Kai finished, he felt _cleansed_. He knew then that he had lost his heart. He wanted to be by this man's side. With all the will he had, he buried everything down deep, vowing to hold it dear. Taking in a deep breath, inhaling Joe's wonderful spicy scent, he asked, "What about you? What do your parents do?"

Joe nuzzled Kai's dark hair again. "I grew up on a farm in Illinois. It's in the middle of the country. My Dad died in an accident with a thresher and my mom followed him soon after. I think she died of a broken heart. My Aunt took over the farm and well; we didn't get along so I took off to try my hand at living in the big city of Chicago after my brother left for the University. The war began and the Army found out I could fly crop dusters and with a little training, they let me be a pilot." Joe sighed and said in a far away voice. "I wish I could take you up in the clouds and show you how peaceful it is."

"I would like that." Kai whispered sleepily. He nuzzled into Joe's neck, feeling safer than he had in a long time and in moments was fast asleep.

Joe listened to the night sounds, shivering faintly at Kai's soft breath against his skin. He wondered at what had happened in the last twenty-four hours. It had all been so fast and yet exciting. Being with Kai was as big a thrill as up in the cockpit of his P51 Mustang. He almost laughed when he realized that both could leave his head spinning until he was dizzy. Kissing the top of Kai's head once more, Joe vowed to himself that he was going to help this rag-tag bunch if he could and if he survived this war, he was coming back for this man…this beautiful, green-eyed, wonderful man who made his life a bit more _stimulating_.

Realizing he must have fallen asleep, Joe's mind began to rise into wakefulness. He was warm, no… hot and horny. He could feel a mouth sliding up and down his cock. Oh God, this was a wonderful dream. He didn't want to wake up, especially when that tongue glided expertly over the slit, making him groan softly. It could have been the groan that woke him completely or the echoing moan from his groin that buzzed down his dick and settled behind his balls. When he cracked his eyes open and saw Kai's mouth around him, he decided that it had to be the most erotic thing he had ever seen.

"Oh, God, Kai!" Joe laid his head back on the pillow knowing that he was already close to orgasm. He couldn't breathe. He was lost in the pleasure of the most talented tongue on the planet, he was sure. His legs were shaking as he tried to keep from bucking and his hands clutched at the sheets.

Another suck and swirl and he suddenly found his hands threading into thick, nut-brown hair. "Kai... please… oh God… uh uh unnng…gonna...oh ohhhh!" Release was sweet and strong and he collapsed back on the bed, panting heavily, body feeling loose and sated.

Kai smugly kissed his way slowly up Joe's body, leaving a few love bites along the way. He wasn't sure if he was marking Joe or just leaving a memory of their night together. He reached Joe's lips and stretched out, skin against skin from knee to shoulder, kissing him softly.

"What is it about you, that makes me want so much?" Joe kissed those tempting lips. "Have you cast a spell on me?"

Speechless, Kai looked into Joe's face and only saw truth in those brown eyes. He was about to tell Joe that there was no hope for them. They lived in different worlds and he knew that Joe would return to his American base, the war and women. Before he could voice his doubts there was a knock on the door and it flew open. "Kai, you ok? It's time for breakfast and…"

Joe casually drew the thin blanket over Kai, unconcerned with his own nudity. "Stupid Monkey," he drawled.

Before Stan could start to rant, Kai cleared his throat and in a stern voice said, "Stan, I will be out in a moment. Please put on some water for porridge and tea." He watched as a wicked gleam entered Stan's eyes and a smile grew on his face.

"You take the morning off, Kai. I can feed the kids. Gnat's still pretty sick but I already gave him some orange juice and a couple of aspirin that Chas gave me last night." Stan's thickly accented voice was full of humor and happiness for his friend.

"Good," Joe replied before Kai could protest. "Then you have time for me to take you to lunch and you can show me around London a bit before my train leaves this afternoon." He lifted the chin that was starting to get a stubborn set to it and began to kiss the delectable mouth in front of him. He heard the door shutting quietly as his hand crept lower to encircle Kai's hardening length and watched avidly as he brought the stunning man to another shuddering climax.

After ascertaining that Gnat would indeed live through the day, Kai allowed himself a day off. The day was spent sightseeing all over London. Joe had splurged on a taxi tour that cost 10 shillings, a fact that Kai complained about until Joe threatened to kiss him right there on the street in front of the driver and everyone. Kai's angry glare scared and thrilled Joe. The man was just sexier every moment that he spent with him. They went down to Oxford Circus, and its department stores lining the road, as well as Bond Street, noted for its fashions. They saw the Old Antique Shop that Dickens had lived in and where he'd written his novels. Kai was obviously a fan, and made it his business to educate Joe on the life and times of the author. The place was damaged some from the bombs but stood fairly much the same as it did when Dickens had lived there.

They rode on through a lot of bombed areas, seeing houses both partially intact and utterly flattened; some entire blocks were completely gone. It was not a pretty sight and it left one with no love for the Jerries. Joe couldn't take the sad look on Kai's face and asked the driver if they could skip this part of the tour. Kai's eye shone with gratitude. The tour finished with a drive through the Buckingham Palace grounds. One entire wing of the palace had been leveled. It seemed that there was nowhere in London one could get away from the war.

Kai had the driver stop at a pub called _The White Dragon_ just as another air raid siren began to wail. The three of them quickly ran for the pub and joined the rest of the patrons in the cellar where the owner, named Fat Charlie, continued to serve up some of his best ale and bitters. Joe used every one of his tricks to keep his hands on Kai, from the casual brush of fingers on his back, to slinging an arm over the smaller man's shoulders in a gesture of friendship. When the all clear sounded and everyone moved back into the main building, Kai introduced Joe to Fat Charlie. Joe was astounded to find that Kai worked there two or three days a week. Fat Charlie pounded Kai on the back and told him that when things got better, he would have a job full time. Sadly, Joe noticed the time and pulled Kai to a table in the corner.

"Look, Kai, I have to go back but I really want you to write me. I want to see you again." His eyes shone with hope.

Kai looked unsure. "Joe, I …" He stopped when Joe had put his fingers across his lips.

"I won't take no for an answer. I will send you letters here since I don't think where you are living is a deliverable address." He spoke softly so no one else could hear.

Not wanting to ruin the most wonderful day he had had in several years, he just nodded and let Joe lead him from the pub. Stealing glances up at Joe, Kai tried to memorize his handsome face. Deep inside, he knew the memory of the last few hours might have to last him a lifetime, no matter how hard he wished things were different. They lived in a time of war.

The couple walked quietly from the Tube at Charing Cross to the railway platform. Joe had his ticket and his eyes were searching the crowd. Kai was doing his best to keep the sadness at bay. He knew his time with the American was coming to a close. Despite the promises of keeping in touch, it was his reality that life did not usually allow him such happiness. Determined to keep the memories happy ones, he smiled at Joe, who glanced down at him, brown eyes shining with something Kai wished he could keep forever.

Joe spotted a friend, grinned down at Kai and began to pull him forward by his arm. He reluctantly dropped it as they approached the tall man. "Hey!" Joe called in an excited voice. He and the man shook hands and Joe turned to Kai. "This is the man I was telling you about. Kai, meet Gene Carmichael. He and I are practically brothers. It's a 'watch your back' kind of thing." Joe punched Gene in the arm who smiled at him indulgently.

"Ignore the moron, Kai. It is a pleasure meeting you." Gene held out his hand, which warmly clasped Kai's for a moment. Kai decided that he liked the man immediately. He seemed kind.

"I have something for you that Joe asked me to bring." Reaching into his jacket, Gene brought out a pack of cigarettes and held them out to Kai.

Kai looked at him with a puzzled expression. "But, I don't smoke."

Joe chuckled. "Take the pack Kai; open it when you get home. It's a gift from all the pilots on base."

"Yes." Gene replied. "Joe called us and told us about you. We all rifled our med kits. It's something we all wanted to do. We hope that the young man gets better soon."

Unfolding the top foil that had been so carefully folded back after being open, Kai peered in the pack to see that it was crowded with small packets and some folded notes. "What is it?" He asked, his voice almost cracking with emotion.

"Sulfa tablets," Gene said softly. "Say your goodbyes, Joe. We need to catch a train."

Kai felt like he had been kicked in the head. This would cure Gnat. This miracle was just handed to him by a complete stranger and it was all thanks to Joe. "Thank you and please tell everyone thank you for me," Kai called out to Gene, who just waved the thanks away. Kai knew that there were enough sulfa drugs in the pack that he would be able to knock out Gnat's strep and hopefully have a stash in case one of the other boys came down with it. He looked gratefully at Gene and then turned to Joe. He wished that he could kiss him.

Gene nodded once more and then stepped away and melted back into the crowd farther down the platform that was full of people preparing to board.

"I don't know what to say..." Kai stuttered.

Joe looked at him for a long moment, then, with a quick glance around the platform, leaned in and brushed his lips against Kai's. "Remember to write me and I will write when I can. I am coming back for you. I promise." He brushed the lock of hair from Kai's face and smiled. He wanted to say so much more but couldn't get it past the lump in his chest. He nodded as if to himself and then quickly moved into the crowd.

Kai watched Joe's back until he disappeared. He stood there while the train boarded and then until it had left the station. A few people left on the platform gave him strange looks. It wasn't until another air raid siren sounded that Kai's feet finally decided to move. He slowly followed the small crowd to the Charing Cross Tube platform. Lost in his thoughts, clutching the pack of cigarettes tightly and trying not to fall apart, Kai waited for the 'all clear' and the train to take him home.

*****

Kai wiped the bar down one last time. He folded the towel carefully and hung it on the rod below the bar. Fat Charlie was at the other end having a smoke and a talk with one of the regulars. It was a quiet night. If Kai hadn't needed the money, he would have asked if he could head home early. The problem was that it was even quieter at home and possibly a little more lonely.

It had been over a year since the end of the war. Fat Charlie had taken Kai on full time and let him live in the flat above _The White Dragon_. With the small salary he earned, it was enough. He still saw Stan and a couple of the boys (although most of them could not be called boys anymore) now and again, but those times seemed to be fewer and fewer. Kai missed Joe. The letters had come frequently in the beginning but when Joe had been stationed in France, they had grown fewer and fewer until there was nothing. He had hoped that he would hear something when the war ended but he could find no information on the man. To Kai, it was like Joe had disappeared. He had tried to move on but no one interested him; it just didn't seem important.

The door opening brought Kai out of his darkening thoughts. He watched as four men entered. Two of them were regulars and former officers of the RAF that frequented the pub almost nightly. Their stories and laughter were always a welcome moment in his day. He did not recognize the other two men with them. Giving the gentlemen a moment to take the larger table in the corner, Kai wiped his hands on the corner of his apron and placed a smile on his face.

"Good Evening Gilbert, James. How are you gentlemen? I assume you will be having your regulars? Then what can I get for your friends?" Kai was the epitome of politeness.

"Ah Kai, good to see you my man! It's nice to see you've put a stop to calling us Colonel this and Major that. Got enough of that in the war, right James?" Gilbert ran his fingers through his thick mustache, trying to smooth it down. "Would you bring a couple of pints of ale over for our friends visiting from America? This is Lieutenant Colonel Matthew Berkman and Captain Frank Dickinson; both of them are here with a group visiting for a couple of weeks or so and were stationed here in Britain during the war. Interesting chaps, to say the least!" He clapped the taller of the Americans on the shoulder, not noticing the grimace.

Kai nodded and left to load up a round for the table on his tray. He hoped that they left a good tip and made it worth staying a bit longer than he had wanted. He was feeling tired and wanted to put up his feet, have a cup of tea and lose himself in a book. Placing a glass of dark ale of in front of each man, he was startled when Gilbert called his name. "Sorry Sir, what was that?"

"I was telling Frank here that you lost your eye as well as your family during the Blitz. That's why you weren't with our boys on the front lines." Turning to his colleagues, Gilbert loudly continued his tirade to Kai's embarrassment. "I am sure that Kai would have been one of our best pilots if he had both eyes. He could have probably beaten that legendary Demon of yours. What was his name again?"

Matthew almost choked on his ale. "You don't mean Screamin' Red, the Demon of the Skies do you?" He and Frank saluted the air and took a long pull from their glasses. Matthew leaned in toward Kai. "You should have seen him. He had the balls of an ox and more courage than any man should have. He could fly circles around the Jerries in his P51 Mustang. Never seen another pilot like him."

Frank downed his pint and signaled for another. "Did you ever get to meet any real pilots? You know, the American ones?" He grinned playfully at Gilbert who stuck his nose in the air with a slight 'harrumph'.

Kai nodded. "I knew one." He didn't bother to add any more to Frank's quizzical look.

"Well, let me tell you..." Frank continued. "Screamin' Red was amazing. There was this one time, we were stationed here in England up in Honington with the 364th. It was a simple escort mission. We were keeping an eye out for the Luftwaffe for some our bomber boys on the way to Frankfurt to make a drop. Red sighted a Jerry trying to sneak around our formation. He dropped down low, so fast I thought he was a goner. But he managed to get behind him and come up from the back on his blindside. Before he could mash on his trigger this guy pulls a Spilt 'S' on Red. I can just imagine the look on his face as the Jerry led him on a merry chase over a German airbase. Both of them took some flak but Red chased him down." Frank's hand had been trying to imitate the actions of the aircraft along with a whistling noise that showed the death of the German fighter plane. Gilbert had to save his pint from disaster twice during the story.

"That asshole then joined formation and threw me the bird, laughing the whole time. Fucking balls, I tell you." Frank sat back chuckling at himself.

Kai had listened politely, not really understanding the technical aspect of the story but enjoying the enthusiasm of the American. "Sounds like an interesting man. Whatever happened to him?" Kai asked.

"Shot down." Frank answered sadly. "We lost him to the Germans in a wild dogfight during the assault across the Rhine a year ago last March. His plane went down north of Berlin itself. We had to finish the war without Joe."

Kai felt like he had been kicked in the groin. Please, he thought. Let it be a different man. He didn't want to know, didn't want to ask but the words slipped out softly. "Joe? Joe Shaw?"

"That's him, the one and only Captain Joe Shaw. To Joe!" Frank raised his glass in salute but Kai had gone as white as a sheet and his tray slipped from his fingers to clatter on the floor.

Gilbert stopped fussing with his mustache. "I say, Kai, are you ok?"

"Excuse me," Kai mumbled automatically. He'd started to pick up the tray when a hand reached down and picked it up before he could, handing it to him. Kai kept his eyes lowered as he wrestled with his emotions, trying to keep them under control. He had to go, had to get out of there. He needed to be alone. Turning suddenly, he ran into a man standing behind him. He hadn't even heard the bell over the door. The man reached out and steadied him with a warm hand on his waist.

"We really have to stop meeting like this," came a soft drawl.

Kai froze. His breath caught in his throat. The emotional roller-coaster was taking its toll on him and his knees began to buckle. He reached out and grasped the familiar leather jacket to keep from sinking to the floor and then slowly raised his eye to Joe's handsome face. _ He's grown out his hair._ was Kai's first thought.

"I promised I would come back. I am sorry it took so long. Can we go somewhere to talk?" Joe said, drinking in Kai's face as his other hand reached up and pushed the lock of hair away.

"But, I thought… I thought you…"

"Were dead? Don't listen to those idiots. My plane did go down but I spent the end of the war as a POW. I am sorry to make you worry." Joe's thumb traced Kai's bottom lip and then he seemed to remember where they were. "Let's get out of here."

Kai looked back at Fat Charlie, who was watching and grinning. The pub owner waved his hand at Kai to let him know he would close up. Kai pulled off his apron while Joe reunited briefly with his friends who he had come back to England with, promising to meet with them (much) later for a pint. In spite of their protests, he tore himself away when Kai returned to his side. He turned to lead Joe up the stairs to his flat. It was then that Kai noticed the cane and the limp.

As soon as the door closed behind Joe, Kai's shaking fingers began to strip the man who he had been thinking about for the last two years of his shirt. His hands patted and stroked and his eye searched to not only make sure that the man standing before him was really there but alive and mostly in one piece.

"You have lost some weight," Kai said softly, while his fingers traced Joe's broad arms and chest, searching for new scars or imaginary wounds.

Catching the elegant hands in his, Joe chuckled. "They didn't feed us very well in the camp. But I am okay." Grabbing Kai's chin gently, he forced it up so that he could look into a shining green eye. "I have missed you and I still want you. I suppose I shouldn't expect to just pick up where we left off, but I hope…"

Kai never heard past 'I want you' and by the time his brain had kicked in, his lips were on Joe's, warm and open. Joe was kissing him back, tongue sliding in, claiming and passionate. His arms slid around Joe, pulling him close, their pelvises grinding together, causing twin groans from both men. Kai's fingers had entangled in Joe's hair and he was feasting on Joe's mouth like a man dying from hunger. They latched onto each other as if terrified to let go.

"Fuck, man, leave me some brain cells!" Joe pleaded as his mouth fell to that slender perfect throat so beautifully vulnerable. Trembling fingers began to strip Kai's clothes from him. His mouth sought every inch of skin, once again amazed at the addictive taste and feel. He was surprised to feel Kai suddenly pull away and he looked up, his heart still pounding in his chest.

Stepping backward, Kai pulled Joe along until they reached the neatly made bed in the corner under the window. Kai sat down, hands reaching for Joe's belt. "What happened to your leg?"

"Broken, multiple fractures. It happened when my plane went down." Joe gasped when Kai kissed his abdomen and then he felt his pants fall to his ankles. He kicked off his shoes and stepped out of the pants. "I spent some time stateside in the hospital, where they reset it. It took me a while to learn to walk again."

He tilted Kai's face up. "I really did come back as soon as I could. I am sorry it took so long." Kai just smiled up at him, a strange emotion hidden behind that green eye made Joe's chest hurt. He hoped it was what he imagined.

Kai stood and turned Joe around. He slid the boxers down, following their descent with his hands, but stopped when his hand came in contact with the puckered skin on Joe's right leg and heard the gasp from above. He gave a slight push and Joe sat down on the bed while Kai pulled the boxers completely away and examined the wound. There was a long and angry scar down Joe's thigh. He touched the area around it gently, wishing he had a magical power that would just take it all away.

"I am lucky. There was a surgeon in the camp. He managed to keep me alive until the Russians showed up and freed us." Joe stroked Kai's soft hair. "They shipped me back to the States and after another surgery… well, they fixed me right as rain." His cocky grinned slipped a little when there was no answer or comment from Kai.

Joe was worried when Kai suddenly stood but instead of looking disgusted or walking away, Kai took off the rest of his clothing and stood naked before him. Kai's face was unreadable in the shadows, but the lines of his body had Joe trying hard to breathe correctly as his own body reacted to the sensual sight before him. Holding out his hand, he whispered hoarsely, "You are so fucking hot. I want you. More than anything I have ever wanted before."

Coaxing Joe to sit back on the bed, Kai grabbed something from a drawer and straddled Joe's hips. Just as his lips descended, Kai whispered. "Then I am yours." Joe's arms wrapped around him, holding him close; the heat and passion once again took control of them both.

Kai moved to Joe's throat, licking and nipping down to the juncture of his neck and shoulder. Feeling Joe shudder, he bit down lightly, sucking just enough to leave a dark mark. His mind was reeling with what he was afraid was a fevered dream. Sitting up on Joe's thighs, he let his fingers wander. They stroked down the dips and valley's of Joe's body, pinching and pulling on already peaked nipples and moving down to trace the 'v' that led to Joe's hard, thick cock.

Normally the aggressor, Joe had to keep control of the part of him that wanted to flip Kai over and fuck him into the mattress. Unfortunately, he realized that this part of male-on-male sex was something he had yet to experience. He gasped when Kai pulled on his nipple, his own hands slowly stroking Kai's thighs. He watched Kai carefully as the man leaned over and retrieved a jar that he had placed on the bed earlier. The lights from outside shone in through the window above the bed, illuminating Kai in a soft, blue light. He looked like one of the legendary Faerie folk that Joe had heard once populated Britain.

Joe arched and groaned as Kai's slick hand began to stroke him. He forced his eyes open. Kai was watching him carefully, his fingers gently dancing over Joe and making him squirm and that one green eye dark with passion and lust. As he let his eyes drift lower, he groaned again when he saw the fingers of Kai's other hand moving past his balls. Joe's breath caught in his throat as he watched Kai slide a slick finger inside himself. He heard a soft moan above him and then his own hand followed Kai's. The look of ecstasy on Kai's face and the sound that poured from his throat as Joe slid his finger in next to Kai's nearly made him reach his own climax. Kai continued to prep himself with Joe's help until Joe had to shut his eyes for a moment. "Fuck babe, I am about to burst just watching you."

Feeling Kai move forward and raise himself up. Joe once again opened his eyes. Kai was holding his slicked erection while he slowly lowered himself down. Everything seemed surreal and erotic. Kai's head was thrown back, revealing the long line of his pale throat; his chest was heaving as if he had run a mile and his torso was covered in a fine sheen of sweat. But when Kai's heat encased his cock, the night became a blur. His hands stroked over a muscled back, cupping Kai's fine ass. The rhythm became frantic as Kai rode him, fingers clutching at his chest.

"Touch yourself." Joe's husky voice begged.

Gasping as if he couldn't regain his breath, Kai closed his eyes and let his head hang down, but he shifted his left hand from Joe's chest to his cock. Just touching it made him shout and toss back his head, his sweat-darkened hair fanning out around his face.

Joe had lost himself in sex before, to the pleasure of it, but never to this extent. All he could see was Kai, in such enthralling detail that it seemed unnatural; the gleam of sweat on pale skin, the way the drops ran down the prominent lines and planes of his torso. Joe's chest burned as he fought to breathe. He swore he could feel each and every nerve in his body tingle with the pleasure that coursed through him. The emotion spurred him on, made him thrust his hips faster, and made him pull Kai down harder, the room quiet save for their harsh breathing, the wet slap of sweat-slick flesh and Kai's inarticulate cries. The pleasure seemed too overpowering for the both of them, rendering them incapable of anything but jagged, unstopping movement.

There was an almost-sob and Kai arched back, hand pumping frantically, and warmth splattered Joe's chest just as his body went still, frozen in bliss so intense that dark spots swam before his eyes. His body seemed to arch on its own and his release shook him to the core.

Catching Kai as he started to drop down, Joe managed to angle him to the bed and they both hissed as their bodies disconnected. They lay there panting as their skin cooled. Joe pulled Kai close and began to rub and massage his back lightly. "My God, Kai, that was fucking amazing and trust me… amazing doesn't even begin to describe it."

They spent the next long moments kissing quietly, fingers gently tracing nonsense on skin. Kai finally pulled away. "Sticky," he explained.

He returned with a damp towel, which they both used to clean up before slipping under the covers. Once again Joe pulled Kai into his arms. He wasn't about to let go now that he had found this sexy creature again. He once again brushed back the lock of hair from Kai's face.

"Kai, Come with me back to America." Joe watched the shock grow on the beautiful pale face and he continued quickly, hoping to silence any argument. "I know we haven't known each other long, but I honestly can't let you go. I think…"

He was cut off by two fingers pressed to his lips. He kissed them gently and waited for Kai's decision. Joe could see an uncharacteristic flow of emotion over the face in front of him, lone green eye searching his own.

Kai must have seen what he was looking for as he smiled wildly and nodded. "Yes," he said and even though the word was spoken quietly, it seemed to echo through the room.

Joe's smile then matched Kai's until their lips met and Joe pulled the covers over their heads, once again pressing their bodies close.  



End file.
